Emerging careers trends in engineering and technology you need to know

With the advent of the digital era, the last few years have seen a plethora of changes in the way the human race communicates, commutes and entertains. We have already entered the phase where engineers across industries are co-working with robots that are auto-programmed.

In today’s highly competitive and complex world, a degree in engineering no longer guarantees job security. Future engineers will require additional specialization and skills to adapt to the rapid digitization of industries.

Man and Machine

Studies claim that by 2025, we will lose almost five million jobs to automation. Does this portend the end of the world for engineers? The answer is no. Machines need human expertise to succeed. What they can do is bring precision and speed to tasks that are currently manually executed.

A study reveals that 37% of jobs which exist today will change in one form or the other. The day is not far when thousands of BOTS will work alongside humans to book appointments, deliver customer support, book online tickets etc. In fact, a professional services firm has predicted a five-fold increase in BOT intervention at our workplace next year.

Improving employability

Modern engineering is undergoing rapid changes with booming industries like travel and healthcare going through a major revolution using digital technologies. To be able to adapt to the changing landscape, students should look for opportunities to enhance their skills and gain hands-on industry experience in real-life applications.

The advantage with students today is that they are digitally savvy, making it easier for them to adapt to contemporary engineering concepts.

To enhance the employability of young graduates, AICTE has revised the model curriculum for all engineering graduates with a reduced number of 160 credits.

The government along with educational institutes is providing platforms to encourage innovative thinking in young grads. 

Newer technologies 

Engineering will continue to be a sought after career stream in the years to come. What is changing is the landscape on which industries innovate and flourish.

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) today are solving most of our problems and STEM graduates are in hot demand. The future is going to bring forth opportunities for students to work on problems which we have not seen or experienced thus far.

Holistic skills 

Jobs of tomorrow require interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary knowledge. In order to thrive in a competitive, changing environment, engineering and technology students have to:

• Think out of the box
• Be more open to taking risks and accepting failures
• Be more creative and have extraordinary people skills

While it is important to innovate, it is equally important to strive for improvement. Being a digitized world is not enough. What the world needs is a digital winner.